Before Playing

This is a demo adventure for use with the Spectrum: Time-Travel Role Playing game. This is not the
complete game, you will also need a copy of the Spectrum game book. Unless noted otherwise, all
page numbers refer to the Spectrum game book.

Cards: Ideally, each player (including the Guide) should have their own deck of cards, with 2 jokers
clearly marked red and black. If necessary, you could share decks. Shuffle your decks before play.

Pre-gen characters: Introduce the pre-gen characters briefly by concept.

• Barbarian. Iron age demon-slayer. Best at physical combat. Sabertooth lion companion.
• Hacker. Near-future hero. Best at using technology. Smart.
• Kid. Far-future explorer. Best at building technology. Sneaky.
• Occultist. 17th century time cop. Best at investigation, talking, trickery, disguise.
• Pirate. 12th century time bandit. Best at stealth. Good at fighting. Lucky.

Players should choose a character. Give the players their character sheet and background page.

Read or paraphrase the following:

“Some of your characters will be earlier colors, and are less experienced, while other characters are
later colors, and are more experienced. All of you are friends and allies, you are working together
retrieving artifacts for the Archives in Atlantis. You may not always get along, but you know that you
need each other. You need to help the others now, because you know that their future selves already
helped you in your past.

You can attempt anything that an average person can do (sneak, talk, fight, etc.). As a time-traveler,
you are an exceptional person, and will be better than most people at most things. You also have a few
specific time-travel abilities.

• Time Jump. You can travel anywhere in time and space, by using your Time-Travel Method.
There are 7 steps to your Method, but you only need as many steps as are required for your
current color. Any time you have enough steps, you can Time Jump.

• Bend Time. You can call on your past or future self to help you out. You say that the thing you
need is behind the couch, and there it is. You say you have a note explaining the mystery, and
you have it. Bending Time does not require access to your Method, and it always works, no
matter what color you are. After the Bend, however, you must either go back and play out the
favor to yourself (plant the thing behind the couch, or leave yourself the note), or risk Paradox.

• Immortality. Time travelers do not die of old age, so you can spend years, decades, or longer
laying your plans or building secret technologies. You won't die from violence or accident
either, since you can just Bend Time to save yourself, Light Out, and appear somewhere safe.
Of course, as after any Bend, now you must go back and play out the rescue, or risk Paradox.

• Blending. Normal people living in linear time (called Shades) mostly won't notice that you
look odd or out of place. You are effectively camouflaged as an average person of the local
time and place. Blending does not hide your armor, weapons, or pet creatures, and does not
disguise you as a specific person or useful occupation.”
Overview of the Demo
The time-travellers find themselves accidentally stranded in an alternate timeline, where a virus has
killed 90% of humans, and made apes more intelligent. To get back to their own timeline, they must
find and alter the events that caused the virus outbreak. If this is too easy, or happens too quickly, a
cyborg ape terminator from the future may appear to stop them from interfering with events.

After Playing
When I run Spectrum, I expect the players to spend about half the time dealing with the plot, and the
other half dealing with fallout caused by their own actions. If any characters have Bent Time, they may
wish to go back and play out those Bends (resolving their Time Debt), or they may wish to draw for
Paradox (and deal with the potential consequences).

When you are nearly out of time, look for a good place to end the story. Hopefully the characters have
prevented the virus oubreak, defeated an enemy, or returned to their own timeline. Make sure to leave
some time at the end for this wrap-up.

“That's the end of the Episode. Anyone who has Time Debt (from a Time Bend you haven't played out),
add +1 Delay to the Time Debt. Normally, you would carry that Debt into the next Episode, and you
could still go back and play out the Bend. But for this demo, we're going to draw on Paradox for any
Time Debt now.”

Any characters with Time Debt draw for Paradox. Challenge equals the original difficulty of the Bend,
+1 Delay. If they fail, see Paradox Effects (p. 67). Tell the player about the Paradox effect.

“Some of these Paradox effects would become the plots for future Episodes. You could still try to undo
this Paradox in the next Episode.”

XP: +1 xp for taking part in the adventure.

+1 xp for following your Agenda, or the Karass Agenda, or for keeping the Karass together.
+1 xp for saying "yes", exploring places you ended up by accident, getting involved with
Shades who were not important to the plot, or playing your Quirks.
(+3 xp total maximum.)
“Add your XP in your current color. You can spend +1 XP for +1 to a Trait. Increase the Traits for
your current color, and all later colors. So if you played an early, weak color (the Barbarian), your XP
is worth more, and if you played a later, more powerful color (the Hacker), your XP is worth less.”

“Cross off the Episode box from the colour you just played. Next Episode, you could choose to play
any other colour you have available, so the next Episode would be later for some of you, and earlier
for others.”
Timeline of the Apes
Optional: Other Time Travellers
James Cole, Dr. Jones and the Time Portal add a little complication to the story, but are mostly a
diversion. If the PCs are creating lots of their own complications, or your game session is already
running long, you may want to remove these elements to keep the story simpler.

Zira, and Dr. Milo add a lot of complication, and make the story much harder for the PCs. For a one-
shot or demo, assume that you won't use these elements in your story. You may choose to add these
elements if:
• The PCs get back to their own timeline easily, or otherwise solve the virus plot early.
• The PCs fail a Paradox draw by 3 or more, creating Zira as a terminator.
• You want to expand this scenario into the beginning of a longer chronology.

If you have not also included James Cole and Dr. Jones, then Dr. Milo may have created the Time
Portal himself.

First Scene
The PCs were time jumping together to the Atlantean Archives, but they missed their jump, and have
arrived together on a freeway overpass littered with rusty abandoned cars, and overgrown with vines
and weeds. The freeway leads into the forest in the north, and towards a large coastal city to the south.
The PCs are outside San Francisco, in 2025, but they don't know that yet. You may suggest that they
draw on Senses or Reason to know more about their local environment, or that they Bend Time (Bend
Challenge 4-8) to know some of what is going on. If the Hacker tries to access the internet, they will
find that there is none.

Reason
Total Knowledge
5 The city in the distance is San Francisco. The cars are from 2010 - 2015. Some of the cars
contain skeletal human remains. Some contain food, bottled water, blankets, camping gear,
and family photos. San Francisco in 2015 should not look like this.
10 The rust and overgrowth show that the freeway has been abandoned for about 10 years. San
Francisco in 2026 should not look like this. The Atlanteans might have more information.
15 (or Time Bend 4) One of the cars contains an old newspaper dated January 16th, 2016. The
headline reads “Simian Flu sweeps across Europe”, and also shows rising death tolls across
the United States. This does not fit recorded history, or the characters' memories of the future.
20 (or Time Bend 6) This is an Alternate Timeline (p.61). If the PCs time jump forward from here,
they will still be in Alternate Timeline. To have a chance of returning to their own
Timeline, they must first time jump back to when the timelines split (or before), when both
futures are still possible. However, events are now making this the most likely future. They
may wish to alter history, to make their own future more likely by finding the source of the
virus and stopping it.
25 (Red Joker, or Time Bend 8) The Simian Flu virus, or ALZ-113, was created by Gen-Sys, in San
Francisco, and was released in February of 2016. It quickly spread to other countries through
the airport. The airborne virus boosts intelligence in all kinds of primates, but is also deadly to
humans.
San Francisco, 2026
To travel on the freeway, or into the forest or city, draw on Movement (Challenge 5). To find food and
shelter, draw on Fitness (Challenge 5). Repairing one of the cars is a Build Tech Challenge 5, base
time Days.

If the PCs stick around, they will encounter groups of human survivors and infected apes, and must
draw on Fitness or be infected by ALZ-113 (Challenge 16). Both the humans and the apes are
preparing for war with each other. Getting involved in the fighting between the humans and apes in
2026 does not alter any established history, or risk Paradox.

Human Survivors
The human survivors will ask the PCs to help them fight the apes. They have a fortified camp back in
the city. If the PCs ask what happened, (Influence Challenge 5), the survivors will reveal that the virus
was created by Steven Goines and the Gen-Sys corporation, and both the plague and the ape attacks
began here in San Francisco. Among the humans, the PCs meet:

Dreyfuss, leader of the human survivors. He believes the humans must fight the apes to reclaim the
world, and is preparing his people for war.

Ellie, former nurse for the Centre for Disease Control. Ellie is knowledgeable about the Simian Flu
virus, and Gen-Sys. She believes humans and apes can co-exist peacefully, and would rather prevent
war to save lives on both sides.

James Cole (28 yo) has a Tint (Dark jacket), showing the PCs that he will be a time traveller, but he
isn't yet. James cannot see the PC's Tints. James has grown up scrounging to survive. He is
pessimistic, and follows Dreyfuss' orders.

Jones is a former scientist working for Dreyfuss. She has built a radio broadcast array, and is trying
(unsuccessfully) to contact other human survivors. Jones is interested in the idea of time travel, but
only if the PCs bring it up. Giving her the idea to build the Time Portal is a Low Synchronicity (p. 71).

In the city, the PCs also notice the graffiti stencil of the Army of 12 Monkeys. A little research
(Reason or Influence Challenge 5) will tell them that this is Jeffrey Goines' radical animal rights group
(2006-2016).

Infected Apes
The apes will assume that the PCs are hostile, and will likely attack them on sight (see the Apes page of
this demo). The apes speak crude English, and the PCs may talk them out of fighting (Influence
Challenge 5). large tribe of apes living in the Muir Woods national redwood forest preserve, 12 km
north of the city. Among the apes, the PCs meet:

Ceasar, a chimpanzee, is leader of the tribe. Ceasar was treated well by Will Rodman. He is wary of
humans, but does not hate them. He believes humans and apes can co-exist peacefully.

Koba a bonobo, is Ceasar's second-in-command, and rival. Koba was treated cruelly by humans, and
wants to take command of the apes away from Caesar, so that he can lead them into war. If the PCs
killed any apes, Koba will try to use this to challenge Ceasar's rule, and rally the apes to war.
Time Jumping
From 2026, the PCs may attempt to jump anywhere in time and space. Here are a few of their most
likely destinations, but if they jump to any other place and time (on purpose or by accident) you will
have to improvise. See p. 77 for some ideas.

From 2016 or earlier, the PCs may try to jump back into the future of their own timeline. Jump
Challenge starts at 3 for a destination the PCs know well, but each event leading to the ape apocalypse
adds to this Challenge. The PCs may reduce this Challenge by altering these events.

Time Jump Challenge Modifers (Use only the highest modifier. +4 before the PCS alter any events)
Ceasar or Jeffrey Goines release the apes (+1)
Koba is infected with the virus (+2)
Hunsiker is infected with the virus (+2)
David Peters deliberately spreads the virus (+4)
There is no cure to the virus (-4)

If a PC alters any of these events they should draw immediately for Paradox. Challenge starts at 7 (-2
for restoring correct history, but +2 for contradicting scenes already in play), but may be altered by how
overt or subtle the PCs methods were, and how much of the apes' future they have already seen (p. 63).

If the jump succeeds, the PCs arrive back in their own timeline. If the jump fails, they arrive in the
future of the apes. If the PCs have altered all of the triggering events, then they can jump into their
own timeline, even if the jump fails.

Future of the Apes

If the PCs time jump into the future from after 2016, or fail a jump into the future from 2016 or earlier,
they arrive in the future of this Alternate Timeline where apes are dominant, and the few human
survivors are either enslaved, or in hiding.

Random Years Apes' Random Years Apes'

Time Tech Level* Time Tech Level*
7 2016 - 2100 Stone 11 3200 - 3500 Electric
8 2100 - 2400 Metal 12 3500 - 3800 Information
9 2400 - 2800 Roads 13 3800 - 4000 Cybernetic
10 2800 - 3200 Discovery 14 Nano
*Even though the Apes themselves are primitive, the Local Tech Level is always at least 7. There are
still materials and artifacts made by humans around. So the apes may have guns or handcuffs even if
they couldn't build them, and can't use them effectively. Similarly, building a gun, airplane, or
computer is not Paradoxical, because the local Shades all know these technologies exist, even if they
can't build them.

Optional: In 2036, Dr. Jones, now leading the remaining humans hiding under the ruins of San
Francisco, builds a Time Portal. Jones' Time Portal is huge, and it does not jump with the traveller. It
stays in it's own time, and requires a local operator to call the time traveller back before making another
jump. Jones sends James Cole back in time to learn what caused the ape apocalypse. Cole reports
back that Jeffrey Goines and the Army of 12 Monkeys were responsible for the virus outbreak, but
Jones never gets to use this information, because the humans' hideout is discovered and raided by apes.
Jones is killed, and her damaged time portal is captured by the apes.

Optional: In 3978, the ape Dr. Milo finally repairs and reactivates Jones' old Time Portal. Milo sends
the cyborg ape Zira back in time to ensure that the ape outbreak actually happens.

The Atlantean Archives, 10,000 – 6000 BCE

While the rest of the world is in the Stone Age, humans living on the island of Atlantis have an
advanced civilization. Treat the Atlanteans as Warp Age high evolutionaries (p. 51). The local Tech
Level on Atlantis is 12, so the PCs can build or use high technology without risking Paradox. The
Atlantean Archives are a combination library/museum/vault, where the Atlanteans collect obscure
information, and high tech or temporal devices that might endanger the timeline. The Archivists know
the PCs, and are willing to give access to the Archives for research (PCs may draw on Use Tech instead
of Reason, up to Use Tech 12). They are reluctant to allow their high technology to be removed from
Atlantis, but they may be willing to trade with the PCs for Dr. Jones' Time Portal, a sample of the ALZ-
113 virus, or information about the apes' Alternate Timeline (even for eyewitness confirmation of the
information they already have).

The Ape Outbreak, December 2015

There are two possible causes of the ape outbreak in December, 2015. Most likely, Caesar escapes
from the primate shelter, steals canisters of ALZ-113 from Will's house, returns to the facility and
releases the gas, enhancing the intelligence of the other apes overnight. Ceasar, Koba, and the other
infected apes flee the facility, and free the other apes from Gen-Sys, and the San Francisco Zoo.

If the characters somehow prevent Caesar from freeing the apes, then Jeffrey Goines (33yo) and the
Army of 12 Monkeys free the apes instead (although they do not infect the apes). The Army of 12
Monkeys is Jeffrey, with about 5 friends, and a van. They are well equipped, possibly including sub-
machine guns, body armor, and hacking decks, and are willing to hurt or kill people to free the apes.
See the Shades page of this demo.

The apes, either led by Ceasar or Koba, or just running wild, fight through police on the Golden Gate
Bridge to escape into the redwood forest. If the apes have not been infected with the virus, than this is
just an outbreak of normal apes, and it does not lead to an ape apocalypse, although the virus itself may
still end human civilization.
There are also two possible causes of the virus outbreak. In early December, 2015, Robert Franklin
infects chimpanzee Koba with the virus. Koba fights back, infecting Franklin. Franklin goes to Will's
house, to warn him, and infects Will's neighbor, pilot Doug Hunsiker, who is on his way to the airport,
to fly to Paris.
Even if the PCs prevent Koba, Franklin, or Hunsiker from being infected, at the same time as the apes
are running wild, Dr. David Peters takes samples of the to the airport, and then on to virus on to several
major cities by plane. Peters is deliberately spreading the virus to wipe out humanity.
San Francisco, 2000-2016
To stop the outbreak from happening, the PCs may wish to jump back to San Francisco between 2000-
2016. Here are some of the notable Shades they might meet around Gen-Sys, the primate shelter, or the
airport. Unless noted otherwise, these people all have the normal Traits of Information Age office
workers (page of this demo).

Steven Goines is a scientist and CEO of Gen-Sys. He wants to develop a drug to cure alzheimer's
disease and increase human intelligence, and tests that drug on chimpanzees.

Jeffrey Goines is a manic, insane, animal rights activist, and the son of Steven Goines. At 18 years
old, he is placed in a mental asylum, where he meets James Cole, who suggests to him that humanity
deserves to be wiped out. At 24, Jeffrey is released from the asylum, and at 26 he founds the Army of
12 Monkeys, a small group of radical animal rights activists. At 33, he leads the Army of 12 Monkeys
to free all the apes from Gen-Sys, the primate shelter, and the San Francisco Zoo. Jeffrey doesn't know
anything about the virus, and doesn't really want to wipe out humanity, just shake things up and get
back at his father.

David Peters is a scientist working for Gen-Sys, and is secretly an apocalypse nut. He believes in
improving humanity and he world by drastically reducing the human population. He develops the
ALZ-113 virus to be airborne, virulent, and deadly to humans, and purposefully releases it to several
major cities by plane, killing himself in the process.

Will Rodman is a scientist working for Gen-Sys, and cares deeply for apes, especially Ceasar.

Doug Hunsiker is Will Rodman's next-door neighbor, and a commercial pilot. He contracts the virus
from Robert Franklin, and unknowingly carries it to Europe.

Robert Franklin is a chimpanzee handler working for Gen-Sys. He is a bit of a thug, and follows
Steven Goines' orders.

Dodge Landon is a guard at the primate shelter. He is a cruel man, who uses his position to abuse the
apes in his care.

Bright Eyes is a chimpanzee. In 2006, she is injected with ALZ-112, increasing her intelligence. In
2008, she gives birth to Ceasar. When he is taken from her, she goes on a rampage, and is killed.

Ceasar is a chimpanzee born infected with ALZ-112, but is not infectious. He was treated well by
Will Rodman. In December 2016, he steals the ALZ-113 virus from Will Rodman's house, infects a
group of captive apes, and releases them. He is wary of humans, but does not hate them. He believes
humans and apes can co-exist peacefully.

Koba is a bonobo. He is the first ape infected with the ALZ-113 virus, in December of 2015. Koba
was treated cruelly by Dodge Landon, and hates humans.
Even Earlier
If the PCs jump back even earlier, they can prevent Steven Goines from founding Gen-Sys, or prevent
David Peters being born, etc. This prevents all of the events that might trigger the ape apocalypse,
eliminating the virus, and ending the Ape Outbreak Timeline, so that the PCs can jump to any point in
their own timeline. The PC responsible should draw immediately for Paradox.

Optional: James Cole

James Cole is a human time traveller, born in 1998. At 18 years old, he survives the virus outbreak
and ape apocalypse. At 28 he fights against the apes in the battle for San Francisco. At 38, he is sent
back in time by Dr. Jones, accidentally arriving in Baltimore in 2000, where he is arrested and placed in
a mental asylum. In the asylum, Cole meets Jeffrey Goines, and suggests that humanity may deserve
to be wiped out. He returns to 2036 believing that Jeffrey's Army of 12 Monkeys were responsible for
the virus outbreak. The characters will recognize that Cole is a time traveller from his Tint, a jacket
that appears Dark before his first time jump, or Red afterward.

Katherine Reilly is a psychiatrist working at the asylum in Baltimore. After Cole disappears from a
locked cell, she comes to believe that he is a time-traveller, but she keeps this information to herself.
She also knows that David Peters is a sociopath obsessed with the apocalypse.

James Cole, Katherine Reilly, Dr. Jones and the Time Portal add a little complication to the story,
but are mostly a diversion. If the PCs are creating lots of their own complications, or your game
session is already running long, you may want to remove these elements to keep the story simpler.

Optional: Zira
Zira is a cyborg ape terminator. In 3978, she is sent back in time by the ape scientist Dr. Milo, to
ensure that the ape apocalypse happens. Whenever the PCs try to stop the virus outbreak, however
they do it, that is when Zira tries to jump in and stop them. Zira is Red (her Tint is a Red cybernetic
eye), so she arrives decades early (probably somewhere in Mexico in the 1950s), hides out, steals a
gun, traces the PCs' time jumps (the Barbarian leaves a 10,000 km trace 1 year before their jump) and
waits for them to appear. Zira can see the PCs Tints, and can use red cards. She cannot initiate more
time jumps herself (unless she Bends the Jump), but if she fails to stop the characters, Dr. Milo will
yank her back to 3978, where they can try again. If the characters kill Zira, she does not Light Out.
See the Apes page of this demo,

Time Portal
Zira and James Cole both use the same time travel Method, the time portal created by Dr. Jones. Zira
and James are not in control of their time jumps, but they can be yanked back into the future by their
remote operator (Dr. Jones for Cole, or Dr. Milo for Zira). The characters may follow Zira' trace back
to the Time Portal, and stop Milo from operating it, leaving Zira stranded in time. The PCs cannot use
the Time Portal themselves, but they may be able to trade it to the Atlantean Archives for some other
temporal device (such as a set of crosstime communicators or universal translaters).

Time Portal Method

Only to Jump to or from the Time Portal (3 steps), required (+1 step)
Time Portal is remotely operated (1 step), required (+1 step)
Time Portal is breakable (1 step)
2000 James Cole (Red, 38yo) arrives in Baltimore. He is arrested and institutionalized. Cole meets
Jeffrey Goines (18yo), and suggests that humanity may deserve to be wiped out. Cole
disappears from a locked cell, returning to 2036. Katherine Reilly believes in time travel.
Drs. Will Rodman and David Peters working at Gen-Sys, under Steven Goines, test viral-based
drug ALZ-112 on chimpanzees to find a cure for brain ailments such as Alzheimer's disease.
2001 9/11 terrorist attacks on Pentagon and World Trade Centre. Anthrax mail attacks one week later.
2005 Hurricane Katrina kills 1,836 in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
2006 ALZ-112 given to a chimpanzee, Bright Eyes, greatly increasing her intelligence.
Jeffrey Goines (24yo) is released from the asylum.
2008 Bright Eyes gives birth to Caesar. When Caesar is taken from her, she goes on a rampage, and
is killed. Steven Goines terminates the project. Chimp handler Robert Franklin kills the chimps.
Jeffrey Goines (26yo) founds the Army of 12 Monkeys.
Barrack Obama elected President.
2009 Will takes baby Caesar home.
2011 Space shuttle Atlantis returns to Kenedy Space Center, ending NASA space program.
2014 Caesar is placed in a primate shelter where he is treated cruelly by the other chimps and the
chief guard, Dodge Landon.
David Peters develops a more powerful, gaseous version of the viral drug (now called ALZ-
113), supposedly to improve intelligence in anyone.
Will takes cannisters of the virus to his house.
2015 Franklin tests the drug on Koba, becomes exposed himself and becomes ill.
Franklin attempts to warn Will, sneezes blood onto Doug Hunsiker and dies. Caesar escapes
from the primate shelter and steals canisters of the ALZ-113 from Will's house.
Caesar returns to the facility and releases the gas, enhancing the intelligence of the other apes
overnight. The apes flee the facility. Or Jeffrey (33yo) and the Army of 12 Monkeys free them.
Either the apes, or the Army of 12 Monkeys, release the remaining apes from Gen-Sys, and free
the other apes from the San Francisco Zoo.
Ape army fights through police on the Golden Gate Bridge to escape into the redwood forest.
Will's pilot neighbor, Doug Hunsiker (infected by Franklin) flies from San Francisco to Paris.
David Peters takes the virus on a tour of several major cities by plane.
2016 The virus spreads to Europe and then around the globe via international airline flight routes.
2026 Human survivors battle evolved apes for control of San Francisco.
Koba fights Caesar for control of the ape tribe.
2036 Jones creates the Time Portal, and sends James Cole (Dark) back to 2000, Cole (Red) returns,
believing that Jeffrey Goines' Army of 12 Monkeys caused the Ape Apocalypse.
Apes find the human camp, killing Jones and Cole, and capturing the damaged Time Portal
3978 Milo sends Zira back in time to ensure that the virus is unleashed.
Shades (2000s, Tech Level 7)
Office Worker Cop, Survivor, Soldier (+4) Army of 12
James Cole (+4) Monkeys (+16)
Violence 1 2 (3 handgun) 2 (6 smg) 3 (6 smg)
Fitness 1 2 (3 vest) 2 (6 armor) 3 (6 armor)
Movement 1 2 2 2
Senses 1 3 2 2
Influence 3 3 2 3
Artistry 2 2 2 2
Reason 4 3 (5 hand computer) 3 (5 hand computer) 4 (5 hand computer)
Use Tech 4 5 6 7
Build Tech 2 1 2 7

Uncommon Items: Handcuffs (Movement Challenge 10 to escape)

Hacking Deck (Build Tech 6), Medi-Kit (Reason 7)

Vehicles: Car, Motorcycle, Helicopter (Movement 6, Fitness 6)

Office: Wood walls (Violence Challenge 6, Fitness 1)
Gen-Sys: Metal walls (Violence Challenge 10, Fitness 5)
Security: Computerized lock (Movement Challenge 12), motion sensors (Senses 7)
Computer system (Hacking Challenge 17, or 22 if encrypted)

The Virus
The ALZ-113 virus (or Simian Flu) is airborne. Draw on Fitness vs. the infection immediately upon
entering a contaminated area, or coming into contact with an infected person or ape. Draw again after
the first Day, and every additional time phase you are exposed to the disease (Week, Month, Year, etc.).
If you succeed, you do not contract the disease, although you still carry the disease. You must draw
again the next day, and may still infect others. If you succeed by +5 or more, you are cured, you do not
have to draw against the disease any more, and you are not infectious to others. If you fail, you take -1
Wound, and +1 Trait (see below). Each extra 5 points you fail by adds +1 Wound and +1 Trait.
Healing the Wounds also removes the Trait bonuses.

ALZ-113 Virus Fitness Challenge 16

st
1 Wound, +1 Reason 5th Wound, +1 Reason
2nd Wound, +1 Build Tech 6th Wound, +1 Use Tech
3rd Wound, +1 Reason 7th Wound, +1 Reason
4th Wound, +1 Influence 8th Wound, +1 Build Tech
A cure for the virus must be Tech Level 9. Build Tech Challenge 9 to build it with Information Era
equipment. The cure is not Paradoxical after the virus itself is created, even if it would be too advanced
for it's Age.
Apes
Ape (ETL 4) Infected Ape (ETL 9) Future Ape (ETL 9) Zira (ETL 10)
Violence 3 4 4 (5 rifle) 4 (8 cybernetics)*
Fitness 3 3 3 (5 body armor) 3 (8 cybernetics)
Movement 3 3 3 3 (8 cybernetics)
Senses 3 3 3 3 (8 cybernetics)
Influence - 1 1 2
Artistry - 1 1 2
Reason - 1 2 3
Use Tech 1 2 5 8
Build Tech - 1 2 3
*Zira also carries the most advanced local gun he can steal. Probably an assault rifle. Using her
cybernetics in the past causes Tech Impact Paradox, but using the gun does not. Her cybernetics also
don't include a ranged attack, so without a gun, she is at -2 Violence vs. characters with ranged attacks.

Assault Rifle
Violence 7 attack, Abilities Ranged attack (+1), Size Suitcase (-1), Tech Level 7
The Barbarian
You are a Metal Age Barbarian. You wear furs and hides, and carry a huge magical spear (the spear
appears orange to other time travellers). You travel with a sabertooth lion companion (who appears
black to other time travellers). You time travel by using your spear and entering a battle trance. The
more intense the battle, the easier it is for you to travel in time.

You are Orange. You are Orange. You are new to time travel, and it is all very strange to you. You
have met the other time travellers a couple of times, and had a couple adventures with them. Mostly,
they saved your life and helped you when you were in trouble over your head. They all said you would
help them out in your future, so you are eager to repay the favor when you can. The Occultist often has
similar goals to yours, but they are always making things more complicated with their laws, and
prevents you from killing when killing is necessary. The Hacker and the Kid are powerful when
dealing with "demons" or "dark magic", but are weak in many other ways, and need your protection.
You have seen how powerful all of your companions become, an you know that they will save the
world from the "demons". It is up to you to make sure they survive until then, and they are ready when
that time comes.

You are a Terminator. You were sent by a coven of witches to hunt and kill “demons” or “sorcerors”
who wield “dark magic” devices that don't belong in their time.

Abilities and Tactics:

Your lion can act independently. Draw separately for it's actions. In combat, that means you get two
actions, yours and the lion's. As a shadow creature, the lion can only use black cards. It treats all red
cards as “0”. The lion has 6 Wound boxes, and it can shield you from harm. When you are injured,
you may choose for the lion to take the Wounds instead of you.

Your lion can walk around with you without causing Paradox. If, however, you use your lion's abilities
in any Age when it doesn't belong, you risk causing Paradox.
The Hacker
You are an Advanced Age Hacker. You come from a dystopian future of robotic technology,
ecological disaster, global warfare and corporate rule. You wear a leather jacket and nightvision
goggles (the goggles appear indigo to other time travellers). You also carry a small hand computer, and
a suitcase-sized hacking deck, capable of hacking information or robotic-age technology. You time
travel by hacking into temporal networks.

You are Indigo. You are a very experienced and powerful time traveler. You have encountered the
other characters many times, and had many adventures with them. They have saved your life many
times, and your inventions have helped saved theirs. The Pirate used to be your friend, but has
betrayed you all a few times, even though most of the others won't remember that yet. The Occultist
and Barbarian both mean well, and have similar goals to yours, but the Occultist will try to stop you
from saving lives, and the Barbarian solves every problem by killing. The Kid is especially helpful, and
you made a great team together in your past. You want to make sure they all stay alive, and like you in
their future. You especially want to keep an eye on the Barbarian and the Pirate, to keep them out of
trouble.

You are a Hero. You want to help people in need wherever you are, save lives, and thwart tyrants.

Abilities and Tactics:

You are best at using technology. Arrive early, and take the time to find, buy, steal, or build tech items
that will enhance your Traits and abilities. You can always Bend Time to have tech items appear when
you need them, but this may risk Paradox.

Your Hacking Deck allows you to jam or control any devices of Tech Level 7 (computers) or 8
(robotics).

You are most effective in the future (1990 or later), so feel free to Time Jump into the future to gather
information and find high-tech devices. Just remember that if you bring high-tech devices back into a
primitive age, you will risk Paradox.
The Kid
You are a Neo-Primitive Age Kid, from a distant far-future space-colony. You wear work coveralls,
and an oversized space helmet (the helmet appears green to other time travelers). You have a
skateboard, and a big, bulky backpack that holds your portable robotics workshop. You are great at
fixing, inventing and building things. You time-travel by wandering, getting lost, and spacing out.

You are Green. You are an experienced time traveller. You have met all the other characters a few
times, and had some adventures with them. You have saved their lives, they have saved yours, and
your inventions helped them some. The Pirate used to be your friend, but has betrayed you all a few
times, even though most of the others won't remember that yet. The Hacker is okay, they liked helping
people and you made a good team building inventions for them to use. The Barbarian is scary, you
have seen them kill a lot of people, and they didn't even seem to care. You and the Occultist were often
rivals, because they were always trying to be boss, and stopping you from building cool stuff or
changing things.

You are an Explorer. You are a curious tourist, and want to witness as much of Earth's history as
possible, by experiencing different times and places, and important events and people.

Abilities and Tactics:

You are best at building technology. You can build items of the local Tech Level (crossbow, canon,
sailing ship, telescope, etc.) without causing Paradox. You can also use your portable robotics
workshop to build high-tech items (cars, robots, combat armor, computers, spaceships, etc.) but you
will be risking Paradox if you create advanced devices in a primitive age. Arrive early and take the
time to build devices, or else Bend Time for the item you need to just appear. You're a time traveler,
you can always build it later.
The Occultist
You are an Age of Discovery Occultist. You wear a cloak and a heavy, exotic amulet (the amulet
appears yellow to other time travelers). You time travel by using an occult ritual (burning rare herbs,
out in open country away from cities).

You are adept at fooling the weak minded, and the pockets of your trenchcoat are bigger on the inside.

You are Yellow. You are a novice time traveler, with a lot still to learn. You have met all of the other
time travellers a few times, and had some adventures with them. Mostly, they saved your life and
helped you when you were in trouble. The Pirate was very skilled and powerful. The Hacker and the
Barbarian had similar goals to yours, although the Barbarian seems dangerous, because she doesn't care
about causing Paradox, or killing innocent people. The Kid also seems dangerous, and has a tendency
to create advanced technology, which can disrupt timelines and cause Paradox. You want to keep an
eye on your fellow time travelers, to keep them out of trouble. They all said you would help them out
in your future, so you are eager to repay the favor when you can.

You are a Time Cop. You want to protect lives and timelines from being altered by Paradox or
advanced technology.

As a Time Cop, you have orders from far-future Time Lords to avoid Paradox whenever possible,
which includes not altering history or saving people when it is their time to die. You are an
independent, and how you follow these orders is up to you.

Abilities and Tactics:

You are good at investigation, finding clues, and talking to people. To avoid Paradox, use trickery and
disguises, and recruit locals to help you achieve your goals without directly altering history.
The Pirate
You are a Roads Era Pirate. You wear modern body armor under a pirate-style greatcoat. You have
an eyepatch (which appears blue to other time travelers). You carry a sword and a flintlock pistol. You
time travel by using a map of the holes in reality.

You are Blue. You are an experienced and powerful time traveller. You have encountered the other
characters many times, and had many adventures with them. You have saved their lives, they have
saved yours. You have also double crossed them, but most of them won't remember that yet. The
Occultist is the most dangerous to you, being the most likely to remember your past betrayal, and the
hardest to trick or manipulate. The Kid and the Hacker have both helped you in their future, your past,
so you want to make sure they stay alive to owe you the favor. The Kid is especially useful, and easy
to manipulate.

You are a Time Bandit. You want to steal high technology for yourself. Gold, gems, and artwork are
all valuable too, but high technology is the real prize. You want to keep this true mission secret from
the other time travellers, but you could also use their help (now and in their futures). You don't care
about killing innocents or causing Paradox to achieve your goals.

Abilities and Tactics:

You are best at acrobatics and stealth. Before a conflict, draw on Stealth to hide yourself. If you are
successfully hidden, you will get to draw on Violence twice in the first round of combat, and keep the
higher draw. If a conflict isn't going your way, draw on Movement instead of Violence to run away. In
an emergency, you can always escape by Time Jumping to a random destination.

Your Luck gives you a secret hole card to use on any action (not Time Jumps or Paradoxes), by you or
by an NPC. If you drew a low Luck card, give it to an NPC! Also, most NPCs are Shades, and cannot
use red cards, so they treat all red cards as “0”. You must declare that you are using your Luck before
you (or the GM) draw for the action.
Spectrum Actions
Players describe their characters' actions. If a character's action seems important, or difficult, or if the
outcome is uncertain, the player should draw on a Trait for the action. The Guide assigns a Challenge (from
1-30), and a Base Time to the action (1 action, 1 minute, 1 hour, 1 day, or 1 month).

Challenge Who could do this? Examples

Easy 3 Normal Shade Scaling a wall
Standard 6 Skilled Shade Scaling a building
Hard 12 Expert Shade Scaling a mountain
Extreme 18 Skilled time traveler Scaling a mountain of ice
Ridiculous 26 Expert time traveler Scaling a mountain of ice in a blizzard
Impossible - No one Flying to the moon.

Drawing on Traits
Player draws a card, and adds the card value to their Trait. If the result is equal to or greater than the
Challenge, the action succeeds. If the result is less than the Challenge, the action fails. Face cards have
special effects. Continue to draw cards until you draw a number or a Joker.

Shadow and Spectrum

Black cards represent the Shadow World of linear time, your Traits, and randomness in the physical
environment around you. Red cards represent the Spectrum, your color, and random temporal distortion.
Shades and Dark Leapers can only add black cards. As a Dark Leaper, if you draw a red card, you may use
only your unmodified Trait. After making your Red Leap, you may add red cards to your Traits as well.

Face Cards Time travelers Dark Leapers and Shades

Red Black Black only
King Draw again +3 -3 +3
Queen Draw again +2 -2 +2
Jack Draw again +1 -1 +1
Jokers Automatic success or failure. Automatic success

Extra Time
You may take extra time on any action, by shifting the base time for the action one or more time phases
higher. Declare how long you are taking for the action. You may draw 1 extra card for each time phase shift
you are taking. Draw all cards at once and choose one. If you draw a Joker you may choose to keep or
discard it. The maximum number of extra cards you can draw is equal to half your Trait (round down, to a
minimum of 1), after which you must take a Quirk (see page 33).

Try Again
If you fail on any action, you may try again, but each attempt takes one time phase longer than the first. Each
failure adds a number of time phases equal to the amount you failed by. Add the time for all failures
together. If you draw a Joker, you must deal with that Joker. The maximum number of extra cards you can
draw is equal to half your Trait (to a of minimum 1). After which you must take a Quirk (see page 33).

Teamwork
Each team member draws, team uses the highest total draw, +1 for each additional team member.
Spectrum Time Jumps
Before the Jump
When a character wants to make a Time Jump, the Guide should ask the following questions:
1. What Steps are you using?
2. Who are you taking with you as passengers? Are you using extra Steps, or reduced Precision?
3. When and where are you aiming for? Would you rather be early or late?

Passengers
You may transport any number of passengers. For each passenger you are bringing, you must either use one
extra Step, or your Precision slips one colour darker. Passengers can bring their own carried items. If you
bring a Shade on a Jump, they become a Dark Leaper, unstuck from time. Creatures also count as
passengers, and become Shadow Beasts, unstuck from time.

Jump Challenge Knowledge of Destination

Easy 3 Very detailed, samples, well-marked, or the Time Machine's origin.
Standard 6 Some details.
Hard 8 Sketchy information
Extreme 10 Very little known. Prehistory, Far Future, Following a Trace.
Circumstance +/- 3.

Draw for the Jump

Shuffle your deck. Draw separately for Time and Space. There is no Trait for time travel, use only your card
draw. If you succeed, you arrive at your target destination, within the precision for your current color.

If you fail in Time, you arrive off by the amount you failed by, times the precision for your current color.
You must specify before drawing whether you are aiming before or after the target time (If you forgot to
specify, assume that you were aiming for before). If your result is zero, you arrive off in the other direction.

If you fail in Space, you are off by the amount you failed by times the precision for your current color, in a
direction determined by the Guide. If your result is zero, you arrive at the same place, not having travelled
through Space at all.

Some Methods' steps may limit your destination, perhaps to a gate network, or your own lifespan. Only your
choice of targeted destinations is limited. It is still possible for you to fail the draw, and arrive far from your
target (off the network, outside your lifespan, etc.).

Precision in Time and Space

Dark Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet Light
None Decade Year Month Week Day Hour Minute Instant
None 10, 000 km 1000 km 100 km km 100 m 10 m meters Exact

After the Jump

After the Jump, the Guide should determine the following:
1. When and where do the characters arrive? Did they make the jump? If they failed, how far off are they?
2. Were there any face cards involved in the Jump? What are the effects of the face cards (see page 58)?
3. What do the characters find when they arrive? Are any enemies waiting for them?
Spectrum Guide's Note Page

Chronology _____________________ __________ Episode #______

Character Color Starting time / place Other times / places visited Bends or Paradox

Chronology _____________________ __________ Episode #______

Character Color Starting time / place Other times / places visited Bends or Paradox